pitch day Planning

Weeks Two and Three: Leading up to the "Pitch Day" event, discuss how broadening one's audience can enhance the work and elements of the project. During this discussion, many of my students said, "Wait, we really need to do this?" When my response was yes, their work ethic improved significantly. It became real to them.

One thing I needed to reinforce here was that this entire project is about the process, not the end result. We learn more from the process. Pitch Day is simply to pitch the idea, not a finished project. The pitch day provides exposure to the passion and purpose. It is our way of letting our community know what we are doing and how it is benefiting us as students and as members of society.

Task 1:Students were asked to create posters (through Pages) with the title of their project, a screenshot of the blog, a QR code to direct others to the blog, their name and "selfie" and three things about themselves. I created a poster as my own example. Students emailed me their work and I printed the posters to the color printer at school. I glued their posters to construction paper and then decorated the hall outside my classroom with the posters. Students in my district may use cell phones in the halls between classes, so the QR code is a great way to get information out there to our technologically savvy student body.

Task 2:Students were told that "Pitch Day" was their opportunity to pitch their idea to the community. Together, as a class, we have a limited perspective. Venturing out into the community provides for deeper knowledge of "real world" conditions. Students were asked to contact an "authority" on their topic. For instance, if a student wanted to know what it takes to get into law school, he should contact some schools of interest. This became the research component of our 20 Time. Students needed to conduct research on their passion and identify knowledgeable people to contact. All contact had to be face-to-face and/or through phone calls. In this digital age, many of my students have a fear of one-on-one communication with adults and phone calls. This is a life skill, one in which they had to practice.

Students identified their "authority"

Students conferenced with me for further guidance on their project ideas. I was their first stop for identifying what might be feasible, what might need more research.

Students wrote questions and scripts for the initial phone call. This included self-created problem-solving strategies should the authority state that the project could not be completed as planned. Giving up is not an option for this project, in this class, or in life!!!

Students documented their planning, anxieties, questions, and/or conversations through a blog post.

Special Notes for Consideration:At this point in the process, many students became disgruntled. They were upset that the fundraisers they had planned were simply not possible due to lack of time and resources. Some found that there are fundraising age restrictions for some organizations. While this is a challenge, it is not the end of the process. I conferenced with several students from my classes at this point. We discussed how the passion need not change, simply the approach. This is a learning opportunity. Students re-worked their concepts and approached the project from a different angle. THIS WAS PERHAPS THE MOST VALUABLE ASPECT OF 20 TIME TO THIS POINT! When students began problem-solving, they learned there are many ways an impact can be made. They broadened their concepts or focused them more locally. This roadblock provided the most academic growth. Suddenly, the perfect picture of the "real world" was skewed, allowing for students to implement critical-thinking and problem-solving techniques. This can be a delicate time for the 20 Time process. Allow the students to vent frustrations, but then remind them of their AMAZING. It is at this critical point that they need to be reinforced so that obstacles later and life can be associated with this moment. The later adversities can be overcome simply because it is instilled in the student that they can make it through difficult situations with time, logic, and effort.

Task 3:Students invited their families to the Pitch Day event. With this entire process, you will find that I, too, participated in everything I asked my students to complete. I wanted to feel the pressure, anxieties, and success that they experience. Since we have iPads, I asked my students to create an iMovie invitation. I showed them my own iMovie that was sent to the administrators within my district. Below is my invitation.

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